The stomach cramps were incessant for Robeson’s Lionel Hickenbottom. They forced him out of his team’s game against Curie on Friday three times before the fourth quarter even began.
After he recovered his own fumble on a kickoff return in the fourth, he returned it to Curie’s 44-yard line. Hickenbottom then had to leave the game for a fourth time because of cramps but vomited before he could get to the sideline.
But, because his team was trailing by seven points, Hickenbottom’s respite lasted just two plays. He returned for a 33-yard touchdown reception from Kevin Burage, which led to Steven Hawthorn’s two-point conversion run with 9 minutes 49 seconds remaining to lift Robeson to a 22-21 victory in the Public League’s Illini Southwest section.
“We can’t lose any games because we’re trying to win city,” said Hickenbottom, who had just three catches–all for touchdowns. “When I got sick, I just played harder. I just played my heart out to try to help the team.”
He and Burage led the Raiders (5-0, 2-0) at Rockne Stadium, connecting on touchdown receptions of 67 and 33 yards in the second quarter to give Robeson a 14-7 lead at the half. Curie (1-4, 1-1) took a 21-14 lead with 11:10 to go on Jason Lawler’s 26-yard run, but Hickenbottom and Burage responded to set up Hawthorn’s conversion run for the victory.
“If it wasn’t for Steven Hawthorn, we couldn’t have done this,” said Hickenbottom, who earned praise from his coach.
Hickenbottom “has a lot of guts,” Robeson coach Roy Curry said without intending a pun. “The thing that helped us most was that kickoff return.”
Burage and Kenneth Hendricks were helpful as well. Burage completed five of eight passes for 149 yards, and Hendricks rushed for 106 yards on 15 carries.
Sandburg 58, Bloom 0: No. 6 Sandburg led 28-0 at the end of the first quarter in the SICA Blue. Brian Corcoran scored on runs of 4 and 5 yards in the opening quarter to get the Eagles (5-0, 3-0) rolling.
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Naperville North 34, Wheaton North 7: John Koranda scored on touchdown runs of 8, 29 and 2 yards as No. 9 Naperville North (5-0, 3-0) rolled in the DuPage Valley.
Stevenson 40, North Chicago 22: Michael Scaramella scored three first-quarter TDs as No. 11 Stevenson (5-0, 3-0) jumped to a 20-0 lead over North Chicago (0-5, 0-3) in the first quarter of the North Suburban game. Scaramella gained 243 yards on 23 carries.
Lockport 24, Thornridge 7: No. 15 Lockport (4-1, 2-1) led 24-0 heading into the fourth quarter of the SICA Blue victory. Craig Duppong scored on a 35-yard run, Mike Serafini had a 6-yard TD run and Phil Stockmal scored from the 4 for the Porters. Thornridge is 1-4, 1-2.
Richards 37, Rich East 0: Cody Lettiere threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more TDs to lead No. 16 Richards (5-0, 3-0) in the SICA Orange.
Andrew 49, Romeoville 7: Rob Assise completed four of seven passes for 77 yards and a TD and rushed 32 times for 173 yards and three scores on 32 carries as No. 19 Andrew (4-1, 3-0) cruised past Romeoville (1-4, 1-2) in the SICA Gray. Nick Trzesniak added a TD on a run of 1 yard and took a fumble 26 yards for another score.
Bartlett 14, DeKalb 0: Bartlett (2-3, 1-2) used fourth-quarter TDs from Dante Frazier, who scored on a 55-yard pass from Vince Dimaria, and Dustin Ritch, who scored on a 44-yard run, in the Upstate Eight victory over DeKalb (0-5, 0-3).
Bremen 42, Round Lake 6: Kevin Curtin rushed for 279 yards and had touchdown runs of 77, 3, 55, 47 and 21 yards in just 17 carries for Bremen (4-1).
Collins 42, Senn 6: Raheem Lamb rushed for 163 yards on 13 carries and scored three touchdowns as the Cobras (3-2, 2-0) rolled in the Public Illini Northwest. Lamb scored on runs of 6, 24 and 62 yards and also passed for a two-point conversion. Cornelius Hayes added touchdowns on a 5-yard run and an 20-yard interception return. Senn is 2-3, 1-1.
Dunbar 40, Julian 0: Dunbar (3-2, 2-0) raced to 34-0 halftime lead and rolled in the Illini South. Arthur Brewer, Darrick Bonaparte and Lee Erwin had two TDs apiece for the Mighty Men.
Eisenhower 22, Thornton Fractional South 6: Quarterback Torri Stuckey had 14 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns to lead Eisenhower (4-1, 2-1) in the SICA Orange.
Fenton 31, Geneva 14: Joe Alleman rushed for 176 yards, and Jon Cox added 107 yards and scored twice to lead Fenton (1-4, 1-2) in the Suburban Prairie Red.
Harper 14, King 0: Juan Green threw touchdown passes of 34 and 17 yards to lead Harper (4-1, 1-1) in the Illini Southwest. After a scoreless first half, Green hit Leslie Charleston for a 34-yard strike with 7:23 left in the third and Travaris Talmer from 17 in the final minute. For the game, Green completed eight of 14 passes for 169 yards.
Kankakee 54, Oak Forest 14: Joeron Hill had a touchdown run of 67 yards and added two 11-yard TD runs to guide Kankakee (5-0, 3-0) in the rout of Oak Forest (2-3, 1-2) in the SICA Orange.
Leyden 14, Hinsdale South 3: Jermaine Shaw scored TDs for Leyden (4-1, 2-1) in each of the final two quarters to beat host Hinsdale South (2-3, 1-2) in the West Suburban Gold.
Lisle 16, Sandwich 8: Aaron Giza rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns to lead Lisle (2-3, 1-2) in the Interstate Eight.
Notre Dame 31, Brother Rice 6: Joe Masciodinto returned a punt 78 yards and quarterback Ryan Barrett had a 65-yard touchdown run for Notre Dame (4-1) in a Catholic Metro crossover.
St. Laurence 36, Carmel 15: St. Laurence (2-3) scored 21 straight points in the second half and prevailed in another Catholic Metro crossover. Joe Martinez rushed for 289 yards on 33 carries and scored on runs of 1 and 25 yards to lead the Vikings. Martinez has rushed for 1,234 yards and 13 TDs in the first five games. Jon Styx gained 167 yards on 21 carries for Carmel (3-2).
St. Patrick 16, De La Salle 13: Linebacker Sergio Pena sacked De La Salle quarterback Tommy Ruswick with just over 2 minutes left for a safety and then intercepted a pass in the final seconds to ice the victory for the Shamrocks (2-3). De La Salle is 3-2.
Streamwood 18, Neuqua Valley 13: In the Upstate Eight, Scott Brown scored the deciding touchdown on a 4-yard run early in the fourth quarter to lift Streamwood (1-3, 1-1) to its first victory. Neuqua Valley is 0-5, 0-2.
Warren 20, Antioch 6: Tom DiPietro rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown to lead Warren (2-3, 2-1) in the North Suburban.
Woodstock 26, Grayslake 12: In the Fox Valley, Jim Murphy was 12 of 25 passing for 210 yards and four touchdowns for Woodstock (3-2, 3-2). Grayslake is 0-5, 0-5.
Yorkville 42, Westmont 0: Derrick King carried 18 times for 191 yards and three touchdowns for Yorkville (3-2, 2-1) in the Suburban Prairie White. King has rushed for more than 180 yards in three straight games.
Young 27, Taft 6: In the Public Illini North, Thomas Jackson scored on runs of 51 and 43 yards to lead Young (3-2, 2-0) to the victory. Taft is 0-5, 0-2.
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